This invention relates to a connector apparatus primarily for use in vehicle wiring systems and male and female connector members and a stay for mounting the connector in place.
There has been known from the Japanese Utility Model Registration Application publication Sho 62-15783 a connector of this type wherein a locking pin is attached by insertion through one side wall of the housing of the female connector member in such a manner that the pin is slidable and urged outwards by a spring. The locking pin extends across the interior of the housing so as to be able to be screwed into a tapped hole provided in the other side wall of said housing. The male connector member is provided with a through-hole located to be aligned with the holes in the female connector member when assembled to receive the locking pin so that the connector members are locked together when the locking pin is pushed through the through-hole into the tapped hole and screwed thereinto.
In the case of the above-mentioned connector, if the two connector members are not properly fitted into each other, the locking pin does not align with the through-hole so that the locking pin cannot be pushed therethrough, which indicates that the two connector members are not properly fitted into each other. While this may seem to be an advantage, this conventional connector has some disadvantages including that it needs more separate parts, such as the locking pin and the spring, that it takes more time and labor to lock it in place because the locking pin has to be screwed into the tapped hole for locking, and that since the through-hole in the male connector member is in the main body portion there is less design freedom with respect to the layout of the electrical terminals in the main body portion.
A conventional connector used for wiring in a vehicle is usually mounted on the vehicle body by means of a stay. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector apparatus in which the stay is so designed as to concurrently serve also as a device for locking the two connector members together when they are properly assembled, thereby solving the foregoing problems of the prior art.